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KH-Vids Podcast Episode #78: Seven Eight Nine

Posted by Misty : Jan 29, 2015 at 2:51 AM ( 8 , 3,894 )

An unforgivably late podcast, just for you!

This week @Misty, @libregkd, and @Calxiyn are joined by staff guest @Karuta to discuss Microsoft's recent keynote that featured Windows 10, their newest operating system! Before we get into that, we have our regular segment on Kingdom Hearts news and updates; Tai Yasue has given his millionth interview and Square seems to be on a hiring frenzy for Kingdom Hearts III.

After that we summarize Microsoft's event all the new features coming to Windows 10 and the Xbox One. @Misty complains about the name (alternate podcast title: Whatever Happened to Windows 9?), we open the Start Menu vs. Start Screen debate, discuss the rise of the Windows Phone, express envy over the new Xbox One desktop app, and get all nerd excited for Project Spartan, which will finally put Internet Explorer in its grave. With the mention of Windows Holographic, @Misty and @Calxiyn launch into conspiracy theory mode and fear for their safety.

Finally we take on user-submitted questions! @Graxe talks about apples and body parts with us, and in absence of any other questions to answer, we turn to Table Topics: reveal our deepest and darkest fears, compose our ideal birthday dinners, and try to fix society.

Everyone please listen, enjoy, and leave us a comment!

Download Episode #78 (MP3)
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Interested in being a member guest on the podcast? Fill out our form here and we'll be in touch. Ask us a question by visiting this page or sending an email to podcast@kh-vids.net!

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Kotaku Interview with Tai Yasue

Posted by Meilin Lee : Jan 23, 2015 at 10:05 PM ( 2 , 1,867 )

Kotaku recently sat down with KH3 co-director, Tai Yasue, to ask a few questions on KH3 and the HD remasters. In the interview, Yasue mentions how 1.5 and 2.5 helped with KH3's development, the relationship with Disney, and how Square-Enix is continuously hiring for KH3. The full interview interview can be read below:

Working on the Kingdom Hearts 1.5 and 2.5 remixes has been good training for Kingdom Hearts 3, said Tai Yasue (co-director and game designer on Kingdom Hearts 3 and the Kingdom Hearts 1.5/2.5 HD remasters) in an interview in London.

"We have been working on 3 and 2.5 at the same time," he explains, "so a lot of people are crossing over and doing both. There are also a lot of new people working on both. In a way, we’ve learned what was good about our previous Kingdom Hearts [games] by making 2.5.

"For 3, we want to evolve it in a new direction, but at the same time we don’t want to change what is fundamental about Kingdom Hearts. We’re hiring new people continuously, so they are learning about Kingdom Hearts through making 2.5. It’s a good learning experience."

Kingdom Hearts is a unique thing to be working on, says Yasue, due to the necessity of finding a balance between respecting the Disney properties and incorporating original, creative ideas - so the training has been necessary.

"There’s a lot to get used to working with the Disney content," he says. "You have to have a lot of dedication and respect for their visual IPs for example, and when you play Kingdom Hearts 2 you see that: when you summon a character or use a spell there’s a lot of love and care that goes into the presentation. When you see Stitch coming out of the screen, for example, it’s very true to the original movie. That dedication is something you learn through the process or remaking 2."

It must surely be restrictive working within those constraints, but Yasue enjoys the challenge that they introduce. "As Square-Enix, if someone else was making a Final Fantasy or a Dragon Quest, we’d be very protective of that too," he ventures. "So we really understand the importance of not changing the brand and respecting the fans. We want to make it true to Disney - we don’t want to change it fundamentally. We always strive to make original content, but with Kingdom Hearts you have to really respect the source material, and that’s something people really like about the series.

"As someone who creates games I think the constraints make you really think. They are what make you strive to come up with new ideas - ideas that are acceptable to Disney, and also fun. That balancing act leads to a lot of surprises. It’s very challenging, but we work on it daily. We continuously talk with Disney and see what they think is acceptable… but we constantly want to surprise our players, too, so we need flexibility. It is challenging and makes you think."

The Kingdom Hearts team also benefits from sharing expertise with the other Square-Enix development units, including the Final Fantasy XV team, Yasue says - even though Kingdom Hearts development is based in Osaka. "We trade ideas - especially for PS4, Xbox One, new gen stuff," says Yasue. "We’re trying to move in leaps obviously, so there is a lot to learn and a lot to explain to other people. That exchange of ideas and technology is very important and we’re doing that inside Square Enix, with other teams."
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Source: Kotaku

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Square-Enix Currently Hiring for KH3

Posted by Meilin Lee : Jan 22, 2015 at 11:45 AM ( 10 , 2,798 )

Square-Enix has recently updated their job listings page, listing 14 positions specifically related to the development of Kingdom Hearts III, ranging from working on the UI, the UE4 engine, cutscenes, and even minigames. The open positions available (where all but one are located in Osaka) are listed below:

3BD/Cutscene Designer

Position Description: Working on cutscenes for Kingdom Hearts III. Taking part in the entire manufacturing process related to cutscene production, from storyboarding to layout and lighting.

3BD/Technical Artist (in Osaka)

Position Description: In charge of general technical assistance (workflow construction, selection of middleware etc) in implementing the high quality graphic expression of Kingdom Hearts III. In charge of construction duties for a shader on the game engine for nature representations (water, rain, snow etc), and special effects (magic etc) etc, during online games.

3BD/Menu Designer (in Osaka)

Position Description: In charge of data creation and design relating to the UI of Kingdom Hearts III. The goal is to communicate with planners and programmers to complete a user-friendly UI with an awareness of the style of the world as well as the characteristic feel of a Kingdom Hearts game.

3BD/Battle Planner (in Osaka)

Position Description: Planning the battles for Kingdom Hearts III. Specific Job Contents: battle plan creation (mainly enemy), specs creation and implementing AI that uses UE4. Minigame etc plan, specs creation and fine-tuning. Player action and gameplay plan, specs creation.

3BD/Direction Planner (in Osaka)

Position Description: Using UE4 to apply camera and direction to the explanations of the game player's techniques and maps and the introduction, advancement and completion of missions and battles. Carrying out meetings, storyboarding and ordering of materials in entirety until they are included.

3BD/Level Planner (in Osaka)

Position Description: Kingdom Hearts III level design and management tasks. Level design plan, specs creation and implementation adjustment. Minigame etc plan, specs creation and implementation adjustment.

3BD/Character Model Designer (in Osaka)

Position Description: General production work on characters to be in Kingdom Hearts III. Job specifics for Tokyo: texture creation involved in polishing up new and old models/texture creation. Design work. Job specifics for Osaka: working on character assets for PS4/XboxOne. Assigned work on the materials and shader used for UE4. Schedule and quality management.

3BD/2D Background Art Designer (in Osaka)

Position Description: Creation of 2D design documents for the 3DBG designers to work from. Creating concept plans for the natural terrain/towns etc of the various worlds of Kingdom Hearts, and designing plans for the little objects they are made of (trees, signs, houses etc).

3BD/3DCG Designer (BG) (in Osaka)

Position Description: General work on background production for Kingdom hearts III. Job specifics: working on background assets for the PS4/Xbox One. Working on layout and lighting using UE4. Schedule and quality management.

3BD/Effects Designer (in Osaka)

Position Description: Creating effects using our company's customized UE4 engine.

3BD/Art Designer (in Osaka)

Position Description: Designing the items and enemy characters to appear in Kingdom Hearts III (the goal is to create appealing designs with an awareness of the particular feel of the Kingdom Hearts universe). Proposing ideas regarding movement and gimmicks along with design plans.

3BD/UI Programmer (in Osaka)

Job Description: Carrying out maintenance, optimization, implementation and design of programs for the game's HUD and menu etc. Always working with the shape of better controls and gameplay in mind.

3BD/Game Programmer (in Osaka)

Job Description: Being in charge of the maintenance and development of the gameplay programs for Kingdom Hearts III. Job Specifics: governing the actions of player, enemy and NPC characters. Implementing things relating to level construction. Implementing direction, special effects, VFX etc.

3BD/3D Graphics Programmer (in Osaka)

Job Description: Taking applications for staff to support the programming side of the visual expression of Kingdom Hearts III. Carry out maintenance, optimization, implementation and design of real time rendering programs.
Click to expand...

Credit to Goldpanner of KHInsider for the translated job summaries.

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KH-Vids Podcast Episode #77: No Representation, Only Caucasian

Posted by Misty : Jan 21, 2015 at 12:11 AM ( 9 , 4,151 )

It's still Tuesday in some parts of the world get off my back

The KH-Vids Podcast is back with a brand new episode, just for you!

Joined by @Llaverion and @Sebax, your podcast crew (@Misty, @libregkd, and @Calxiyn) begin by discussing your regularly scheduled Kingdom Hearts news and updates! We address Bill Farmer's tweet about Kingdom Hearts 3 (and subsequent backpedaling), Kingdom Hearts 2.5's sales, and the loss of Chikao Ohtsuka, the Japanese voice actor for Master Xehanort.

From there we move along to our major topic for the week, the lack of representation for people of color in this year's Oscar nominations. We cite some horrifying statistics re: Hollywood & the Academy's 'straight white male' hegemony and the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag, and branch into discussions about Disney's weird relationship with diverse films and The Interview.

Finally, we answer user-submitted questions! @Graxe asks what we would do if we woke up wearing the Majora's Mask, @Highlandeɼ is interested in what games KHV has made us want to play, and @KHGrl15 makes us choose a fictional universe to live in!

Please everyone listen, enjoy, and let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Download Episode #77 (MP3)
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Interested in being a member guest on the podcast? Fill out our form here and we'll be in touch. Ask us a question by visiting this page or sending an email to podcast@kh-vids.net!

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Japanese Voice Actor for Master Xehanort dead at 85

Posted by Krowley : Jan 16, 2015 at 6:52 PM ( 11 , 2,649 )

Chikao Ohtsuka; The Japanese voice actor for Master Xehanort and Captain Hook, passed away on January 15th 2015 due to ischemic heart failure.

Ohtsuka is well known for his voice work in playing many villains in animes, films and video games. Notable roles of his include Doctor Eggman from the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, Professor Moriarty from Sherlock Hound, Gold Roger in One Piece, Wario in various Nintento titles, Doctor Cidolfus Demen Bunansa in Final Fantasy XII, Disney's Captain Hook, and of course, the villainous Master Xehanort from Kingdom Hearts.

Dead at the age of 85, he is survived by his 55 year old son; Akio, whom he has performed with on several occasions. Akio voices Ansem: Seeker of Darkness in the Kingdom Hearts Franchise.

May you find peace in the realm of darkness Ohtsuka.
The world shall miss your villainous ways.

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